Heartbreaking Scene as Remains of 17-Day-Old Baby Found in Rubble After Deadly Queens Fire

The remains of a 17-day-old baby girl were recovered Wednesday from the charred debris of a Queens home destroyed by a massive fire earlier this week — a blaze that also claimed the life of a 34-year-old woman and left a young man critically injured.
The infant, who has not yet been officially identified, was carried from the burned residence on Dongan Avenue in East Elmhurst in a small white bag. Emergency crews had spent two days combing through the rubble before locating the child’s body.

Police confirmed they were notified of the grim discovery on Wednesday, though it was not immediately clear exactly when the baby was found. The remains were transported by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner as authorities continue investigating the deaths.
The four-alarm fire also took the life of Miguelina Alcantara, 34, according to police. Officials have not yet clarified her relationship to the baby.
The infant and Alcantara were among nine people trapped inside the home when the intense fire broke out on the second floor around 6:45 p.m. Monday, sources said.

A 22-year-old man suffered devastating burns to 99% of his body, fire officials reported. He was rushed to Harlem Hospital and remains in critical, life-threatening condition.
“He looked terrible. The skin was melting off his face and body,” neighbor Lucy Thinzar, 27, previously told reporters.
Other victims — including a 10-year-old girl — were treated for minor burns and smoke inhalation and are expected to recover.

Photographs from the scene show the four-story building completely gutted, with much of the structure reduced to blackened rubble.
A 79-year-old neighbor said that the alleys surrounding the house had been “full of junk,” though fire officials have not yet determined what caused the blaze or whether any materials may have contributed to its rapid spread.